Are Facebook ads worth it for a small business?

They're usually worth it if

• One new customer is worth a fair bit to you
• You work in a set local area
• You have real photos or video of your work
• You can follow up on enquiries within the hour
• You can give it at least a month

They're usually not worth it if

• You have nothing to show yet
• Nobody has time to answer leads
• Your website or phone goes unanswered
• You're hoping for results by Friday

Do the sums first

Work out what one customer is worth, then what you can afford to pay to get one. Say a job makes you $1,000 profit and ads bring in a job for every $300 spent. That works. Track jobs won, not likes.

Why most small business ads fail

• Pressing Boost instead of running a proper campaign
• Using stock photos people scroll straight past
• Showing ads too far from where you work
• Slow follow-up on enquiries
• Changing everything every two days

What to check after 30 days

1. How many enquiries came in?
2. How many turned into quotes or bookings?
3. How many became paying customers?
4. What did each customer cost you?

More on this: Facebook ads for tradies, how much to spend and how our ads work.

General advice for local businesses, November 2026.